Job Search Blunders to Avoid

A poorly written cover letter or poorly recorded video resume can kill your chances of landing a job. Pay close attention and cater each cover letter, resume and/or video resume to the job you are applying to. The extra effort can set you apart and garner you an interview over equally qualified candidates.

What position is this for?

Hiring managers and recruiters often are working on multiple jobs at the same time. You don’t want to be discarded merely because they can’t associate you with the position you applied for. State exactly which job you are applying for, and even state where you found the posting.

Copy and Paste

Making a personal connection with your cover letter and/or video resume is important. Using the exact same verbiage time after time shows a lack of effort on your behalf. Hiring managers can sense a form letter or speech when they see or hear one. Take the effort to cater to each company you apply to.

Rinse and Repeat

There’s no need to narrate your resume again in long sentence form in your cover letter or video pitch. Instead, offer deeper insight beyond what your resume can say. Use your cover letter or video pitch to offer specific past experience and demonstrate how you are a great company fit with your prospective new employer.

Standup Comedian

Showing off your jokes and your wit can backfire. In text format, not everything reads the way you think it will and you could easily find your application in the bottom of a garbage can. A professional and candid approach is best to get your point across and properly position yourself.

Proofreading?

Just about every article about resumes and cover letters includes something about spell checking and proofreading. Why? Hiring managers continue to receive cover letters and resumes that are riddled with errors. Do yourself a favor and check it one more time, have your friend look over it, then your mom, and then you should check it again!